Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 19: A high level all party delegation without any representative from the main opposition party, the PDP, today met representatives of minorities for four and a half hours in Kishtwar and would meet the majority community tomorrow in a bid to end the crisis in Kishtwar, which reeled under curfew for 12th day today barring brief relaxation of two hours.
Like their meeting with the delegation of Ministers on Saturday, the minorities met the all party delegation without any representative from the administration, who stayed put in adjacent room to the venue of meeting—the Deputy Commissioner’s office complex.
Curfew was relaxed for two hours separately by the authorities after dividing the town into two zones. The relaxation period passed off peacefully, official sources said.
The all party delegation comprising representatives of different parties excepting PDP reached Kishtwar town at 4.30 am from Jammu. Planning and Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra and Medical Education Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din, who had to lead the delegation, were on way from Srinagar to Kishtwar via Synthan Pass. While Taj reached Kishtwar after the delegation’s meeting with the minorities had almost ended, Mr Sadhotra returned from enroute in view of the death of his father-in-law and didn’t join the delegation.
The delegation comprised Devender Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Slathia (NC), Janak Raj Gupta and Thakur Hari Singh (Congress), Ashok Khajuria and Dr Nirmal Singh (BJP), Balwant Singh Mankotia (NPP) Sheikh Abdul Rehman (Samajwadi Party), Tulsi Dass Langeh and Rattan Kumar Bhagat (BSP), HS Raina (Shiromani Akali Dal), RS Bloeria (NCP), Sham Parsad Kesar (CPM) and Tej Ram Dogra (PDF).
There was no representative of the PDP in the delegation. PDP leader from Kishtwar Syed Asgar Hussain, MLC said the PDP was kept away from the delegation by the alliance partners, whom he charged with playing vote bank politics over Kishtwar incidents.
However, an official handout said Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu had conveyed to all political party leaders yesterday that the delegation would leave for Kishtwar at 8 am today. Without naming PDP, the handout said all those leaders, who came to the venue of departure, were included in the delegation.
Immediately after their arrival in Kishtwar, the delegation closeted with about 70 representatives of the minorities drawn from all political parties, social and religious organisations. The officers of civil and police administration were not allowed inside the meeting hall and they stayed in a separate room.
The delegation listened to the minorities’ representatives for about four and a half hours. As the meeting ended close to 10 pm, the delegation decided to meet representatives of the majority community at 10 am tomorrow.
The minorities repeated their demands, which they had listed before the delegation of four Ministers led by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand on Saturday.
They demanded CBI inquiry into burning, looting and damage caused to their shops, business establishments and other property by the miscreants of majority community on the occasion of Eid festival on August 9, Rs 30 lakh compensation per person, whose shops have been burnt, looted or damaged, Rs 25 lakh relief and job for the family of Arvind Bhagat, who was shot dead during the violence, immediate transfer of DIG Doda-Ramban range Ashkoor Wani and DySP Headquarters Farooq Qaiser, full support to the Village Defence Committees (VDC), registration of FIR against MLA Kishtwar and former Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo and his immediate arrest for instigating violence against minorities and stern action against anti-national elements, who had been raising ‘anti-national’ slogans every Friday and putting up posters of Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru.
Referring to propaganda against the VDCs, the delegation of minorities warned that any attempt to disband or even reduce strength of the VDCs would be strongly resisted. Instead, they said, the VDCs should be strengthened to counter the challenge of anti-national elements.
They said Pakistan and its supporters like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit seemed to be behind the campaign launched by the notorious and mischievous elements against the VDCs, which would be strongly countered by the minorities. They said the Government should also come out openly in support of the VDCs.
They demanded that all illegal weapons in possession of the majority community should be snatched and their holders put behind the bars.
The delegation of minorities said a 15 years old boy of the minority community has been arrested by the police for rioting while those involved in day light burning, loot and damage to their property on August 9 were roaming free.
They demanded that all those responsible for rioting should be put behind the bars.
Meanwhile, authorities today relaxed curfew in Kishtwar town from 10 am to 12 noon in the area falling from Kishtwar police station to Sangram Bhatta, Kuleed Mohalla, Matta, Sarkoot and Dassar.
In the area from police station to Mulipeth, Umer Mohalla, Bhagwan Mohalla, Bus Stand, Hadyal Chowk and surroundings, curfew was relaxed from 1 pm to 3 pm.
The relaxation period passed off peacefully.
However, the people like Saturday’s curfew relaxation failed to get the essential commodities, which had not reached Kishtwar town due to 12 days of prolonged curfew. The people have urged the Government to ensure supply of ration items, vegetables and other essential commodities during curfew relaxation.
Army remained deployed in Kishtwar town and outskirts for 12th day today. Army patrolled the areas during curfew relaxation also.
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